Frances Celebrates Success
In the last five years, Frances Vintage has found a secure home in the hearts, minds and closets of many a fashionista in Central Phoenix. It’s an eclectic little store that lives at Camelback and Central between Stinkweeds and Halo Precision Piercing and is home to funky accessories, clothes and gifts for women, men and kids.
While other indie boutiques around town shuttered their doors during the Great Recession, Frances Vintage thrived to the point of expansion.
Owner Georganne Bryant says, “We have such a loyal customer following from lots of local residents . . . They want us to be here and they get shopping local. And, we do what we can to keep things fresh for them.”
Moving on Up (or Down the Way)
One way they are keeping it fresh is by opening Frances Studio a few doors down in the former location of Red Hot Robot. The Studio space has been chopped in half with one side serving as offices and the other featuring an expanded selection of women’s shoe and accessories.
“But it could become anything in the future,” Georganne says. “The Studio will be different from time to time, like a pop up shop with no set style of merchandise. We’ll experiment. Maybe we’ll have a Christmas shop at the holidays?”
Frances Studio will also serve as a gallery of sorts and feature local art. Currently on display is a series of ‘quilts’ by Janet de Berge Lange that are fashioned from old zinc cans and adorned with power words spelled with letters salvaged from old signs.
Exactly what kind of accessories will steal your heart and your cash at Frances Studio? Here’s a quick rundown of the highlights:
For Your Feets
Adorable French tennies by Bensimon, plenty of Havaianas flip flops, Seychelles dress shoes and to-die-for vintage inspired pumps by Remix. (Note: this is the only place in the Valley you can get Bensimon or Remix!)
For Your Stuff
Butter soft saddle and hobo bags by Tano and Directional Motivation, a rainbow of clutches by Good Life and earthy totes from India (this is not a designer, it’s a country in Asia).
For Fun
Socially conscious bracelets by Feed, studded leather cuffs by Linea Pelle and an array of trendy pendants by Regina Spina.
